November 4, 2020
Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich is investigating claims that hundreds of ballots were tossed or rejected by the use of sharpies being passed out by people at voter locations in Maricopa County, as well as other polling stations in the state.
“We’ve received hundreds of voter complaints regarding Sharpies at polling locations”
AG Mark Brnovich
Brnovich tweeted out a letter sent by Arizona Deputy Solicitor General Michael Catlett demanding Maricopa County Director of Election Day and Emergency Voting Scott Jenson answer questions regarding complaints lodged by hundreds of voters who may have been disenfranchised because they were given Sharpies to fill out their ballots.
Maricopa County has a significantly higher Republican base and concern that ballots were tossed or not counted began Tuesday with voters complaining on social media platforms, as well as complaints being lodged with the Emergency Voting Office, according to reports.
“We have received hundreds of voter complaints regarding Sharpies at polling locations,” said Brnovich. “Accordingly, we sent this letter to Maricopa County election officials. Let’s get some answers.”
In the letter, Catlett said the election board must answer his questions by Nov. 5. He wants to know which voting centers provided the sharpies and where they are located. More importantly, he wants to know how many ballots at those centers were rejected because of over-votes – mainly the ink from the sharpie leaked onto the backside of the ballot.
“Were the ballot tabulation machines utilized at voting centers on Election Day programmed to reject over-voted ballots,” he asked. He also asked the Maricopa County Election board what the process is for cancelling a voters ballot? If a ballot is reflected as “cancelled” on the Secretary of State’s website, what does that mean for the voter?”
Read the full letter here.
You can follow Sara A Carter on Twitter @SaraCarterDC
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